Minato clenched his palms, the special kunai in his hand trembling slightly.
Based on his understanding of the Leaf high-ranking officials, especially the elder Danzo, he knew the man was absolutely capable of doing such a thing!
"Naruto..."
He let out a sigh filled with guilt, but quickly raised his head with a determined gaze. "Regardless, before I learn the truth of the matter, I will absolutely not allow you to undo the Nine-Tails' seal."
As the Fourth Hokage of the Hidden Leaf, Minato Namikaze was certainly not naive enough to believe the words of an enemy at face value.
Furthermore, while the injustice Naruto suffered might be true, allowing the seal to be undone would be disastrous. Given Naruto's currently fragile heart, he would likely be forever consumed by the Nine-Tails' terrifying hatred.
This was something Minato could not accept.
I'm sorry, Naruto.
He whispered silently in his heart.
Simu pushed his glasses up. "It seems a few words are not enough to give the Fourth Hokage a clear understanding of the suffering Naruto has endured all these years."
His expression gradually became serious. "In that case, I'll just have to test the legendary Yellow Flash for myself!"
As soon as he finished speaking, the surface of the lake beneath Simu's feet exploded. He shot toward the cage like a cannonball.
Minato narrowed his eyes and threw the special kunai without hesitation. It whistled through the air, streaking toward the enemy like a meteor.
Seven special kunai blocked Simu's path in an extremely tricky manner.
No matter how he moved, at least one kunai would pose a threat.
This was Minato Namikaze's Kunaijutsu!
"If this is all you have, you won't live up to the title of the Yellow Flash."
Simu lightly adjusted his glasses with one hand, and a pair of black steel wings sprouted from his back.
In the next second, countless sharp feathers shimmering with a metallic luster surged into the mid-air like a reverse rainstorm, heading straight for Minato.
Under such a dense offensive, the special kunai Minato had just thrown were naturally knocked away.
The latter stared at the violent metallic rain, a hint of doubt surfacing on his face.
Is this Magnet Style?
Even though both were in the mental world, using abilities required a basis in reality.
Only abilities mastered in the real world could be manifested here, though the power of the moves would fluctuate based on the strength of one's soul.
However, the "ninjutsu" Simu was displaying did not match any that Minato recognized.
Facing such a fierce attack, Minato simply observed silently, his body remaining still.
Just as the blade-sharp black feathers were about to pierce his body, Minato Namikaze vanished into thin air in an instant.
"Is he finally coming?"
Relying on the powerful dynamic vision of the Sharingan, Simu quickly locked his gaze on the seven special kunai whose trajectories had been disrupted by the chaotic feathers.
In the intelligence Simu had gathered, the Fourth Hokage's signature ninjutsu was the forbidden technique created by the Second Hokage—the Flying Raijin Jutsu!
It was said that Minato, as a successor, had attained a level of mastery in the Flying Raijin Jutsu that far surpassed the creator, Tobirama Senju.
At this moment, the jutsu that had become famous during the Third Shinobi World War finally unfolded before Simu.
In less than the blink of an eye, Minato used the formulas left on the kunai to instantly shift his position.
"On the right!"
Simu captured the opponent's trajectory with his Sharingan immediately. Following that, several crimson, hideous tentacles shot out from his sleeves, lunging at the enemy like venomous snakes.
But immediately, Minato's figure disappeared once again.
"This time it's on the left!"
Simu turned instantly, swinging his tentacles toward the new direction.
The successive teleports caused Minato's golden hair to sway slightly, looking quite elegant.
However, his maneuvers were far from over. The moment he appeared, two more kunai were fired from his hands.
Simu naturally swung his tentacles to intercept the two kunai.
As expected, Minato appeared instantly in front of the tentacles. A flash of yellow light streaked by, and the tentacles Simu had swung were cleanly severed, falling to the ground.
"This move is called Flying Raijin: Slash!"
A cold glint flashed in Minato's eyes. He quickly tapped his feet on the ground.
The chakra he had prepared exploded under his feet, creating a powerful force that propelled him toward Simu at high speed.
With the tentacle severed by Minato with lightning speed, a gap had appeared in Simu's defenses. This was Minato's opportunity.
It was also his most proficient fighting style!
Break the enemy's defense with the fastest attack, and then resolve the battle by following that gap with the highest speed!
Watching Minato charge like a flash of light, Simu couldn't help but remark, "As expected of the legendary Yellow Flash."
Unfortunately, he was prepared.
Large amounts of black runes suddenly appeared on the extended tentacles. These runes connected to each other, forming a spider-web-like array. A powerful sealing force radiated recklessly from it!
The rapidly advancing Minato was now like a dragonfly flying at high speed, only to accidentally crash into a spider web—walking right into a trap!
In that instant, thoughts flashed through Minato's mind like sparks.
Feeling the sealing power hitting him head-on, his figure vanished into the air again and quietly reappeared in the distance.
"Huff... huff..."
Minato crouched on the ground, his chest heaving violently.
Clearly, the previous attack had taken a significant toll on him.
After all, he was currently nothing more than a lingering trace of chakra.
As the battle consumed his energy, the time he could remain in existence was very limited!
Not only does he possess the Mangekyo Sharingan, but he can also control those steel-like wings and tentacles with sealing power. Truly a troublesome enemy.
Minato's expression was grave.
Furthermore, he even sensed an aura from the opponent similar to Kushina's...
Does he also possess the Uzumaki bloodline?
But what is with that Mangekyo?
Is he a union of the Uchiha and Uzumaki clans?
Multiple questions flashed through Minato's mind in succession.
While Minato was shocked, a hint of curiosity also appeared on Simu's face as he remarked, "You truly live up to the title of the Fourth Hokage. To think that a mere remnant of chakra could explode with such powerful strength."
These words did not make Minato feel the joy of being praised; instead, they brought a deep sense of powerlessness.
That was right; he was only a remnant of chakra, while the opponent was a real, tangible threat existing in the physical world!
Even if he could protect Naruto this time, what about the next?
Or the time after that?
The always-calculating Minato Namikaze suddenly felt a flicker of regret.
If he hadn't chosen to use the Reaper Death Seal to seal the Nine-Tails back then, perhaps Naruto wouldn't have had to endure such a painful life...
Seeing the battle between the two temporarily settle down, the Nine-Tails imprisoned in the cage suddenly grew impatient.
"Brat, this guy's chakra is almost gone! Hurry up and finish him off, don't waste time!"
Hearing the Nine-Tails' words, Minato's body immediately tensed up.
Simu lightly adjusted his glasses and said calmly, "I know, I know."
His gaze began to turn serious. "If I can't even handle a remnant of the Fourth's chakra, the Nine-Tails will look down on me, won't he?"
With that, a terrifying aura erupted from Simu.
The Mangekyo Sharingan in his sockets turned so red they seemed ready to drip blood, and the lake surface beneath his feet instantly boiled!
With the enhancement of the Mangekyo Sharingan, Simu's power in the mental world expanded rapidly.
His entire body distorted, and countless massive crimson tentacles grew from his back, striking the water surface at will and stirring up terrifying waves.
"This kid... who's the Tailed Beast here?"
The Nine-Tails narrowed its fierce eyes, complaining somewhat speechlessly.
As for Minato?
He didn't have much time left. The only thing he could do now was exhaust his last bit of chakra and try his best to see if he could eliminate the enemy before him!
Therefore, after Simu released the massive number of tentacles, Minato charged forward immediately.
At this moment, Simu was suspended in mid-air, and countless tentacles were falling manically and indiscriminately.
Every strike easily tore the lake surface apart.
Minato, however, relied on his terrifying speed to constantly dodge through the gaps of these powerful attacks.
Whenever he encountered an attack he truly couldn't avoid, he used the Flying Raijin Jutsu to blink away.
Although he hadn't suffered much damage, Minato knew that if this continued, he would be the first to collapse.
"I have to stake it all on one move."
Minato's azure eyes constantly scanned the dense thicket of tentacles to confirm something.
As a massive tentacle fell, and at the moment the shadow completely enveloped Minato, his pupils constricted slightly. He spoke calmly and firmly, "Now."
In the next second, he activated the Flying Raijin Jutsu again and vanished from the spot.
"Is it coming?"
Simu did not believe that the legendary Yellow Flash would choose to be a mouse that only ran away. The reason he delayed his attack was likely because he was waiting for the right moment.
Now, the moment had arrived.
Minato Namikaze's figure appeared in the distance. Just as Simu turned his gaze and locked onto him with the Mangekyo Sharingan, that golden shadow vanished once more!
It's here!
A terrifying sense of crisis firmly enveloped Simu.
He scanned the surroundings with a calm gaze.
While the Flying Raijin Jutsu was powerful, it was not without weaknesses.
Minato Namikaze had to leave a formula behind in advance before he could instantly teleport to that location.
So, where would he appear?
"Got you."
A cold voice rang out, and Simu was suddenly startled.
He saw Minato Namikaze's figure appear suddenly on the tentacle he had just retracted, rushing toward him like a flash of light.
Not only that, but his raised palm had condensed a massive amount of chakra. This chakra gathered into a sphere and rotated at high speed in his hand.
"Try my... Rasengan!"
Carrying a powerful airflow, the golden figure slammed the Rasengan heavily into Simu.
The massive power exploded instantly. The terrifying airflow carried Simu and the countless tentacles behind him down from the sky, crashing heavily into the lake below.
A huge pillar of water exploded upward. The Fourth Hokage Minato Namikaze's chakra also hit bottom, leaving him kneeling weakly on the lake surface.
He looked back at the vermilion cage hidden in the darkness and the massive, hideous monster behind him, his face filled with deep apology. "I'm sorry, Naruto."
Feeling the gaze Minato cast toward him, the Nine-Tails was suddenly enraged.
"Damn brat!"
The terrifying Tailed Beast chakra erupted with the Nine-Tails' frantic rage. Unfortunately, it was useless against the sturdy seal; it only caused a small ripple in Naruto's mental world.
Exhausting his last bit of strength, Minato turned and stumbled toward the Nine-Tails.
He wanted to use his remaining chakra to help Naruto strengthen the seal.
Sensing Minato's intention, the Nine-Tails roared even more furiously, "Minato Namikaze, what are you doing?"
Unfortunately, its rage did not stop Minato; instead, it strengthened his resolve to reinforce the seal.
Let your father do one last thing for you...
As Minato was thinking this, the lake surface beneath him suddenly exploded in the next second, and a tentacle shot out from under the water.
Although Minato reacted, the remaining chakra in his body was no longer enough for him to activate the Flying Raijin again. He could only watch helplessly as he was hit and coiled by the tentacle.
He stared at Simu, who was slowly emerging from the lake, and said in disbelief, "The Rasengan actually failed to finish you?"
That was a direct hit from a Rasengan—a terrifying attack capable of leveling a small mountain!
He didn't expect this guy to still be alive.
Simu gave a bitter smile, pushed his glasses up, and moved the hand he had held in front of his chest. A huge cavity was instantly revealed to Minato and the Nine-Tails.
"If this were the real world, I might already be dead. Unfortunately, this is the mental world."
Simu said with a smile, the Mangekyo in his eyes becoming even redder.
While one cannot use skills in the mental world that don't exist in reality, the Mangekyo greatly enhanced his power in this realm, including his vitality.
Of course, his words about "might already be dead in the real world" were a complete bluff.
A normal person might die from having their heart pierced, but...
He wasn't human at all!
Even when designing his clones, Simu hid vital points like the heart in other locations.
A mere fatal wound through the chest was not fatal to Simu!
Hearing this, Minato could only give a bitter smile.
His skills were inferior; there was nothing left to say.
On the other hand, Simu's eyes were full of admiration as he looked at Minato.
To be able to fight his clone to a draw with only a "remnant soul"—he truly lived up to the name Minato Namikaze.